The Rabbit Trap
by IWalkBlindlyIntoTheShadows
Summary: Rabbitpaw never respected the Code like he did the ancestors that made it. And why should he? He was born kittypet after all. Little did he know that StarClan is planning a little lesson to make sure he learns the importance of the code and why it's there. Poor little Rabbitpaw, he has no idea what to expect. (After chapter one, it will going through each rule of the code.)
1. Chapter 1

_**Hey lovelies! I know this story might seem like it came out of nowhere, but the lovely That anime-cartoon fangirl inspired me to do a story based off of my StormClan challenge: What Goes Around. It sounded like a great idea, and I want to give her the credit she deserves for the idea of making it into a story. **_

_**Most of the names came from the top of my head because they felt fitting for that cat (as I did with What Goes Around). **_

_**I do hope you enjoy!**_

* * *

Rabbitpaw huffed in annoyance as Silverwing scolded him for "one again" breaking the code when he at a mouse on the hunting patrol. The pale silver, almost white, she-cat could tell he had stopped listening a while ago. Her darker silver tail lashed and her golden eyes narrowed.

"When will you learn that we have a Code for a reason? I understand you're not Clanborn but that doesn't excuse you from acting like a spoiled-rotten kitty-" Rabbitpaw almost didn't even bother trying to hold back the snarl by the time his mentor caught what she was about to say.

_Go on. _He mentally challenged as he glared at her. _Say it. The whole clan already knows my mother was a former kittypet, go on and say it._

Instead Silverwing turned away and beckoned him with her tail. He reluctantly followed, his dark amber eyes narrowed on his mentor the whole time. Before they got to ShadowClan's camp, she stopped and looked at him.

"I'm going to tell Echostar you are not to go to the gathering tomorrow. I'm restricting you to camp for the next two days, and I want you to do _whatever _the elders tell you to do, do you understand?"

"What? That's not fair!" He spat, the fur on his hackles raising.

"It's not fair that you ate prey that could have gone to Applestorm either. She has newborn kits she needs to take care of, and that prey could have helped her produce more milk for Amberkit, Shadekit, Beekit, and Pinekit. There's no other queens there to help her either, ever since your mother, Jade-" she shook her head and quickly corrected herself. "Doetail moved out of the nursery." Before he could even think about continuing to argue with her, his the pale silver she-cat nudged him towards camp.

"Go to the apprentice's den. I need to tell Echostar, Wolfspirit, and Doetail to keep an eye on you and make sure you don't go sneaking out of camp." Rabbitpaw inwardly cringed at the thought of Wolfspirit, the deputy, keeping watch on him. It wasn't like Wolfspirit was a mean cat, or even hated him and his mother's bloodline, it was just the tom had a _very_ intimidating build that probably would send actual wolves running to their queen-wolves. Actually, no, he doubted that, but it didn't change the fact he was glad Wolfspirit wasn't his mentor. Smug little Kestrelpaw could keep the deputy.

As Rabbitpaw made his way to the apprentice den, he was stopped by Wildpaw and Hazelpaw. Though he and Hazelpaw weren't always off on good terms, he was glad to see his best friend, Wildpaw. The messy-furred brown tom had always been able to read Rabbitpaw's emotions so easily, something the cream and brown apprentice hated.

"What fox stole your vole?" His pale, almost sickly looking, green eyes looked his friend over.

"Silverwing scolding me for nothing again." He answered.

"She's been doing that a lot lately."

"Yeah. She acts as if I'm nothing but an annoying burr in her pelt." He huffed, sitting down outside the den with the two cats. Like always, Hazelpaw was doing more listening then talking. He was waiting for her say something about "you should be listening to Silverwing and maybe she wouldn't scold you" like she always did by the end of the conversation. Instead she only remained quiet. Rabbitpaw secretly was hoping she finally decided to stop that whole bunch of annoyance he heard way too many times before from her.

By the time the sun had started to set, Wolfspirit and Echostar had already scolded him for breaking the code, Doetail pleaded with him to try to behave himself, and he had to bring prey to the elders _after_ checking them for ticks. As he laid down his head to go to sleep, he cursed Silverwing's name. Right now he hated her with all his heart. This was going to be his first gathering, this was going to be the gathering after he was made an apprentice, and she ruined it for him. He found himself opening his eyes, only to find he wasn't in his den. He was is a strange marshy forest he had never seen before, even though the scent reminded him so much of ShadowClan.

"You must be careful of the path you choose, little one. We don't want you to have to learn your lesson the hard way." He whipped his cream and brown head around to see Duskfoot, the tom who had been the first to welcome Doetail when she was still known as Jade. He never got to meet Duskfoot himself, for the tom died the day before Rabbitpaw had been born.

"What do you mean I'll have to learn my lesson the hard way?" He didn't want to seem like he was challenging the tom. He respected the smokey black tom more then he could ever admit.

"Just let us guide your paws, trust the stars, and remember the Code that keeps us apart from loners and rogues."

* * *

_**Alliances**_

**ShadowClan**

**Leader**: Echostar- a pale tabby she-cat with black stripes

**Deputy**: Wolfspirit- a large, powerful dusty brown tom **Apprentice: Kestrelpaw**

**Medicine Cat**: Brownwhisker- a solid brown tom with amber eyes

**Warriors**: Willowshade- a gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes **Apprentice: Hazelpaw**

Nightfoot- a black tom with amber eyes

Hollowstrike- a brown tabby with blue eyes

Silverwing- a pale silver (almost white) she-cat with darker silver points **Apprentice: Rabbitpaw**

Hawkwing- a large dark brown tabby with black tail-tip

Fernwhisker- a sleek gray tabby

Dapplefur- a tortoiseshell she-cat

Runningcloud- a black tom with white patches on his underbelly

Sandtail- a golden-brown tabby tom with a white muzzle **Apprentice: Honeypaw**

Mottleface- a handsome mottled dark brown tabby tom with patches of white **Apprentice: ****Wildpaw**

Longfur- a long-furred black she-cat

Doetail- a pale brown she-cat with white paws

**Apprentices**: Wildpaw- messy-furred brown tom with white tail

Hazelpaw- a light brown she-cat

Kestrelpaw- a dark brown tom with black spots

Honeypaw- golden and white she-cat with green eyes

Rabbitpaw- cream and brown tom with stumpy tail

**Queens**: Applestorm- a dark ginger she-cat with dark paws. Mother of Amberkit (ginger she-cat with blue eyes), Shadekit (black tom), Beekit (tortoiseshell tom), and Pinekit (brown and black she-kit).

**Elders**: Oddeye- a white tom with one amber eye and one blue

Goldendusk- golden she-cat

Whitefern- white she-cat with green eyes

Torntail- gray and black tom with missing tail

Littleleaf- an unusually small tabby tom. Former medicine cat.

**WindClan**

**Leader**: Gorsestar- A light golden tom with amber eyes **Apprentice: Softpaw**

**Deputy**: Snowfang- white tom with brown throat

**Medicine Cat**: Redcloud- a reddish-brown tom with green eyes **Apprentice: Yew-whisker- **a brown tabby she-cat

**Warriors**: Swiftheart- Black tom

Willowheart- gray she-cat

Nettletail- a plan gray she-cat **Apprentice: Darkpaw****  
**

Antclaw- tiny brown tom

Stonefang- a gray and silver tom

Pigeonfur- brown she-cat with amber eyes

Waspwing- golden tabby with blue eyes **Apprentice Bumblepaw**

Doveheart- white she-cat

Tallflower- black and white she-cat

Blackfang- black tom with one white paw

Thorntail- brown tabby tom with black stripes

**Apprentices**: Bumblepaw- gray tabby with green eyes

Softpaw- cream she-cat with white ears

Darkpaw- black tom

**Queens**: Dawnfeather- a ashen gray she-cat with amber eyes Has Grasskit (tabby tom) and Stonekit (gray tom)

Darkflower- a black she-cat with yellow eyes and brown tail. Has Kink-kit (messy-furred black and silver she-cat), Nightkit (black tom), Jaykit (silver tom), and Shimmerkit (black she-cat with brown patches).

Skypelt- a white and blue-gray she-cat.

**Elders**: Owlwing- brown tom

Reedtail- black and brown tom (father of Darkflower)

Tallwhisker- long-legged tabby tom

**RiverClan**

**Leader**: Ashstar- thing gray she-cat

**Deputy**: Weedclaw- gray and brown tom **Apprentice: Ryepaw**

**Medicine Cat**: Lilypetal- pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with white underbelly

**Warriors**: Troutsplash- brown tom with white patches

Stormstrike- dark gray tom with icy blue eyes

Goldenpelt- golden she-cat **Apprentice: ****Newtpaw**

Snowfern- white she-cat with silver paws

Otterheart- grayish-brown tom **Apprentice: Goosepaw**

Carpbelly- shiny, solid brown tom **Apprentice: Duckpaw**

Fallowpelt- pale brown she-cat

Grayear- silver tom with gray points

Beechclaw- brown tom

Splashface- pretty ginger and white she-cat

Brightwater- ginger and white she-cat (Splashface's sister)

Fernsky- gray she-cat

Mossytail- black she-cat **Apprentice: Lakepaw**

**Apprentices**: Newtpaw- brown tabby tom with black tail

Goosepaw- gray tom

Duckpaw- brown spotted tom

Ryepaw- black and brown she-cat

Lakepaw- gray and silver she-cat

**Queens**: Whitefern- white she-cat. Has Reedkit (tabby tom). Fostering Bluekit (blue-gray she-cat), Wheatkit (tan she-cat), and Tumblekit (tan tom).

Lightflower- light ginger she-cat

Hollyberry- tabby she-cat. Has Jumpkit (solid gray tom) and Amberkit (she-cat with amber eyes)

Daisypetal- light brown and cream she-cat. Has Cloudkit (white she-cat)

**Elders**: Dewfoot- black and gray she-cat

**ThunderClan**

**Leader**: Ivystar- black and gray tabby tom

**Deputy**: Yellowblaze- golden she-cat

**Medicine Cat**: Eaglestep- a battle-scarred brown tom **Apprentice: Mothpaw**

**Warriors**: Heavyleap- large brown tom

Mumbletail- ginger tabby

Hazelwhisker- white and silver she-cat

Mousenose- dusty brown tom

Flameheart- ginger tom with white paws **Apprentice: Dapplepaw**

Quickfoot- gray tabby

Sammy- lean cream tom with brown points

Bluewillow- blue-gray she-cat **Apprentice: Birdpaw**

Vinestripe- tabby she-cat

Dewcloud- silver tom

Brownclaw- brown tabby tom

**Apprentices**: Birdpaw- black she-cat

Dapplepaw- white she-cat with black spots

Mothpaw- light brown tom

**Queens**: Dash- tortoiseshell she-cat. Has Barkit (brown tom) and Leafkit (tortoiseshell she-cat)

**Elders**: Sandpelt- light ginger she-cat

Russetstorm- ginger tom

Lionthroat- golden tom with thick fur around throat

Shadowclaw- black she-cat

Dustflower- brown she-cat with darker paws

* * *

_**Here's Chapter one and the alliances! I will be doing this one a bit differently then I've done my other stories, so bear with me on this.**_

_**Also, Dash was a rogue, Sammy a kittypet. Jade/Doetail and Rabbitpaw are pure kittypet, and were just in dumb luck to get accepted into ShadowClan. Rabbitpaw will be your example on why you shouldn't break the code.**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Alright, I'm going to go on and add another chapter!**_

_**1.**** Defend your Clan, even with your life. You may have friendships with cats from the other Clans, but your loyalty must remain to your Clan, as one day you may meet them in battle.**_

* * *

Rabbitpaw stretched. A moon had passed since he had gotten in trouble. He was on his best behavior so that he could go to this gathering. He was upset to hear that Wildpaw was staying behind because he had twisted his paw really bad back when there were foxes attack the camp several days ago. As the sun started to set, Echostar gathered those who were going to go. Silverwing, who was sitting right next to him, cast him a sharp look.

"I want you to behave yourself and don't give anything about your Clan away got it? You've been good this past moon and I just want you to be act like a respectable warrior."

"I'll behave." He grumbled.

_Why did she have to ruin my good mood? _He hated how she just had to go out and scold him right before his first gathering. It was like she _wanted _to make his life miserable. He couldn't wait til he was a warrior, then Silverwing would keep her nose to herself. ShadowClan was the first one to the island, soon followed by both RiverClan and WindClan. He never liked RiverClan's scent and WindClan's new scent didn't help. As they waited for ThunderClan, a cream-coloured she-cat bounded up to Rabbitpaw.

"Hi." She purred. "I haven't seen you around here before, you must be ShadowClan's new apprentice, Rabbitpaw, right?"

"How would you know?"

"I was here last gathering and they said they had a new apprentice named Rabbitpaw, but he wasn't at the gathering. So, seeing you, I put two and two together, since this is my third gathering. I'm Softpaw, by the way!"

"How many moons have you been an apprentice?"

"About four now. I wasn't able to go to one because my sister was hurt and I didn't want to go without her."

"Where is she now?" Seeing her white ears flick back was enough for Rabbitpaw. "I'm sorry..."

"It's not your fault, Rabbitpaw. It was a ThunderClan warrior who hurt her, not you."

"One of those fat, soft furballs?"

"Yes. It was-" She cut herself off as she looked past the cream and brown apprentice. "Yellowblaze." She hissed between her teeth, her tail lashing as the ThunderClan deputy walked past, right behind Ivystar. The golden she-cat didn't even pass a glance at those two.

"That's the snake-heart who killed Flowerpaw." Rabbitpaw couldn't help but feel angry too. No cat in their right mind would kill an apprentice. Even though he barely knew this apprentice, but he could sympathize with being alone. He had no kin and Applestorm's kits had been born the day before he became an apprentice, so when Wildpaw, Kestrelpaw, Honeypaw, and Hazelpaw left the nursery when he was a moon and a half (Honey, Hazel, and Kestrel) and two moons old (Wild), he had no one for a while. So the two chatted, though he was well aware that she would send glances Yellowblaze's way.

He learned that he favorite prey was finch, and she learned his was squirrel. Her mother's name Doveheart, and her father was Waspwing. Rabbitpaw had lied and told her his father died before he got to know him. She didn't need to know he was a kittypet. As the gathering came to a close (like they were paying any attention anyway), they said their goodbyes. He really liked Softpaw. Sure she could talk a cat's ears off, but she was good company. She reminded him of a more talkative version of Wildpaw. Someone he could trust with anything.

The next moon he was good enough to go to another gathering. He sat next to Softpaw again and they talked. He told her that the foxes had returned and were weakening ShadowClan. She made her promise not to tell and cat and she agreed.

Three days later, while out on dawn patrol, he caught WindClan scent. So did Silverwing, Mottleface, Wildpaw, and Hollowstrike. They caught the WindClan cats catching prey on their territory, far from the lake.

"What are you doing!" Hissed Mottleface.

"Get off ShadowClan territory." Warned Hollowstrike as he unsheathed his large claws.

"If you can't get rid of a few foxes, what makes you think you can get rid of us." Taunted a black tom with a lone white paw, who Rabbitpaw remembered was Blackfang. He also recognized Softpaw's father. The golden tabby tom was lashing his tail, ready for battle.

_How would they know about the foxes, unless... _His pulse quickened. _N__o! Impossible! She promised! She wouldn't break her promise would she?_

A fight was thankfully avoided when ThunderClan got involved, since the WindClan cats were too close to their borders. Two days later another WindClan patrol found themselves on ShadowClan's side of the border. With the patrol was not only Gorsestar, but Softpaw as well. When a fight broke out, he pulled the cream she-cat off to the side, his eyes glowing with the broken promise.

"How come you Clan knows about our fox problem?" He was trying not to hiss. He wanted so badly to trust the cream she-cat. But she wouldn't answer. The cat that could talk his ear off remained silent. He eyes did all the talking. "You promised."

"We're having a food shortage. The twolegs-"

"You promised!"

"I was putting my Clan first! How was I suppose to keep that to myself when my starving Clanmates had a chance to get food for our Clan? Huh?" She lashed her tail, her green eyes flaring. Anger bubbled inside his belly and he swiped at her. He managed to slash her muzzle, causing the scarlet liquid to mix in with her creamy white pelt. As ShadowClan chased off the cats, Rabbitpaw spat in her direction.

"I will _never _trust an an outside cat _ever _again!" He swore to StarClan as the stary ancestors lay out of view during sunhigh.

_And if I _ever _see Softpaw again, she'll be sorry for betraying me!_


	3. Chapter 3

_** Let's see how much more Rabbitpaw can go through before he either gives in or snaps.**_

_**2.**** Do not hunt or trespass on another Clan's territory.**_

* * *

_**Alliances**_

**ShadowClan**

**Leader**: Echostar- a pale tabby she-cat with black stripes

**Deputy**: Wolfspirit- a large, powerful dusty brown tom **  
**

**Medicine Cat**: Brownwhisker- a solid brown tom with amber eyes

**Warriors**: Willowshade- a gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes **Apprentice: Hazelpaw**

Nightfoot- a black tom with amber eyes

Hollowstrike- a brown tabby with blue eyes

Silverwing- a pale silver (almost white) she-cat with darker silver points **Apprentice: Rabbitpaw**

Hawkwing- a large dark brown tabby with black tail-tip

Dapplefur- a tortoiseshell she-cat

Mottleface- a handsome mottled dark brown tabby tom with patches of white **Apprentice: ****Wildpaw**

Longfur- a long-furred black she-cat

Doetail- a pale brown she-cat with white paws

Kestrelfang- a dark brown tom with black spots

Honeylight- golden and white she-cat with green eyes

**Apprentices**: Wildpaw- messy-furred brown tom with white tail

Rabbitpaw- cream and brown tom with stumpy tail

**Queens**: Applestorm- a dark ginger she-cat with dark paws. Mother of Amberkit (ginger she-cat with blue eyes), Shadekit (black tom), Beekit (tortoiseshell tom), and Pinekit (brown and black she-kit).

**Elders**: Oddeye- a white tom with one amber eye and one blue

Goldendusk- golden she-cat

Whitefern- white she-cat with green eyes

Torntail- gray and black tom with missing tail

Littleleaf- an unusually small tabby tom. Former medicine cat.

**WindClan**

**Leader**: Gorsestar- A light golden tom with amber eyes **Apprentice: Softpaw**

**Deputy**: Swiftheart- Black tom

**Medicine Cat**: Redcloud- a reddish-brown tom with green eyes **Apprentice: Yew-whisker- **a brown tabby she-cat

**Warriors**: Willowheart- gray she-cat

Nettletail- a plan gray she-cat **Apprentice: Darkpaw****  
**

Antclaw- tiny brown tom

Stonefang- a gray and silver tom

Dawnfeather- a ashen gray she-cat with amber eyes

Pigeonfur- brown she-cat with amber eyes

Waspwing- golden tabby with blue eyes **Apprentice Bumblepaw**

Blackfang- black tom with one white paw

Thorntail- brown tabby tom with black stripes

Bumbleflight- gray tabby with green eyes

Darkstrike- black tom

**Apprentices**: Softpaw- cream she-cat with white ears

Grasspaw- tabby tom

Stonepaw- gray tom

**Queens**: Darkflower- a black she-cat with yellow eyes and brown tail. Has Kink-kit (messy-furred black and silver she-cat), Nightkit (black tom), Jaykit (silver tom), and Shimmerkit (black she-cat with brown patches).

Tallflower- black and white she-cat

Skypelt- a white and blue-gray she-cat. Has Onekit (small blue-gray she-cat)

**Elders**: Owlwing- brown tom

Reedtail- black and brown tom (father of Darkflower)

Tallwhisker- long-legged tabby tom

**RiverClan**

**Leader**: Ashstar- thing gray she-cat

**Deputy**: Weedclaw- gray and brown tom **  
**

**Medicine Cat**: Lilypetal- pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with white underbelly

**Warriors**: Troutsplash- brown tom with white patches

Stormstrike- dark gray tom with icy blue eyes

Goldenpelt- golden she-cat **Apprentice: ****Newtpaw**

Snowfern- white she-cat with silver paws

Otterheart- grayish-brown tom

Carpbelly- shiny, solid brown tom **Apprentice: Duckpaw**

Fallowpelt- pale brown she-cat

Grayear- silver tom with gray points **Apprentice: Reedpaw**

Beechclaw- brown tom

Daisypetal- light brown and cream she-cat.

Splashface- pretty ginger and white she-cat

Brightwater- ginger and white she-cat (Splashface's sister)

Fernsky- gray she-cat

Mossytail- black she-cat

Goosenose- gray tom

Ryecloud- black and brown she-cat

Lakeheart- gray and silver she-cat

**Apprentices**: Newtpaw- brown tabby tom with black tail

Duckpaw- brown spotted tom

Reedpaw- tabby tom

Cloudpaw- white she-cat

**Queens**: Whitefern- white she-cat. Fostering Bluekit (blue-gray she-cat), Wheatkit (tan she-cat), and Tumblekit (tan tom).

Lightflower- light ginger she-cat. Has Pouncekit (tortoiseshell and white she-cat) and Smokekit (dusty gray tom)

Hollyberry- tabby she-cat. Has Jumpkit (solid gray tom) and Amberkit (she-cat with amber eyes)

**Elders**: Dewfoot- black and gray she-cat

**ThunderClan**

**Leader**: Ivystar- black and gray tabby tom

**Deputy**: Yellowblaze- golden she-cat

**Medicine Cat**: Eaglestep- a battle-scarred brown tom **Apprentice: Mothtail **(light brown tom)

**Warriors**: Heavyleap- large brown tom

Mumbletail- ginger tabby

Hazelwhisker- white and silver she-cat

Mousenose- dusty brown tom

Flameheart- ginger tom with white paws **Apprentice: Dapplepaw**

Quickfoot- gray tabby

Sammy- lean cream tom with brown points

Bluewillow- blue-gray she-cat **Apprentice: Birdpaw**

Dewcloud- silver tom

Brownclaw- brown tabby tom

**Apprentices**: Birdpaw- black she-cat

Dapplepaw- white she-cat with black spots

**Queens**: Dash- tortoiseshell she-cat. Has Bark-kit (brown tom) and Leafkit (tortoiseshell she-cat)

Vinestripe- tabby she-cat. Has Swallowkit (pale tabby tom), Lightkit (light brown she-cat), Echokit (dusty she-cat)

**Elders**: Sandpelt- light ginger she-cat

Lionthroat- golden tom with thick fur around throat

Shadowclaw- black she-cat

* * *

It had been three moons since the fight with WindClan. They had finally stopped hunting on their territory a little over a moon ago, but the bitterness of the battle still set itself in Rabbitpaw's heart. Many cats had died, most by accident. Snowfang, WindClan's deputy, had lost his footing on a steep drop and feel to his death. Doveheart and Fernwhisker both died from wounds while trying to leave the battle field. At the same time, Kestrelpaw and Honeypaw were now Kestrelfang and Honeylight. Applestorm's kit were four moons old (which the queen obviously couldn't wait to get of of the nursery).

"Rabbitpaw, come on. We're on the hunting patrol." Silverwing's voice snapped his out of his thoughts. She stood waiting with other warriors, and Hazelpaw, waiting for the cream and brown apprentice. Quickly Rabbitpaw made his way over to his mentor. The apprentice had his doubt that they were going to catch anything. It was in the middle of leaf-bare now and ShadowClan had been stuck hard. He hissed silently to himself as the snow made it hard to keep up with his fast-paced mentor. When Silverwing went off after a scrawny squirrel, Rabbitpaw decided to go off on his own to hunt prey. When he finally found something, it was a small, sad excuse for a robin.

_Right now prey is prey._ He thought to himself as he pounced. He had caught the bird by surprised and gave a swift nip of the neck. As if fell limp at his paws, he caught a scent. It was mouse. He was quick to bury robin in snow before sneaking off after the scent that made his mouth water. Right as he killed the mouse, a fur-raising scent flooded his nose, making him double back with he mouse still clamped in his jaws. It was ThunderClan. As he looked around,he slowly realized that the mouse he had caught was ThunderClan prey.

_It's yours now. _He thought to himself, carrying the mouse back to ShadowClan's side of the border and burying it next to the robin. Since he scented no ThunderClan cats and only prey, he decided he'd help himself to hunting. By sunhigh he had two robins, three mice, and a bony thrush. Though he held little pride for catching such small, scrawny prey, he knew Silverwing would at least keep off his tail about hunting. He managed to spot his pale silver mentor, who was carrying no prey with her.

"Did you catch anything?" She asked with a faint glimmer of hope in her eyes.

"Yes I did. I need help carrying it." This caught his mentor by surprised. He purred to himself. He did something she couldn't do. She praised him, even for the pathetic-looking prey.

"Even though this isn't much, it's better then nothing." She purred as they placed his catches into the fresh-kill pile. Two days passed and he managed to catch prey, even if he _was_ taking it from ThunderClan territory. On the third day, ShadowClan's noon patrol meet up with ThunderClan's.

"So there's the prey snatchers!" Hissed a gray tabby who Rabbitpaw reconized as ThunderClan's warrior, Quickfoot. His pale yellow eyes were narrowed on the patrol. Wolfspirit flicked his tail impatiently.

"Who are you calling prey-snatchers?"

"Like you wouldn't know. We keep on finding your filthy stench across our border!" He looked like he was back to attack the ShadowClan deputy, but was stopped by a white and silver she-cat.

"We want to know whose been stealing ThunderClan prey. We lost two elders already from starvation."

"None of our cats have crossed your border."

"Liar!" Screeched Quickfoot. Before the senior warrior could stop him, the tabby jumped at Wolfspirit, claws unsheathed. A fight broke out. Silverwing was helping Wolfspirit, Rabbitpaw was in a battle alone with an older, dappled apprentice, and Hawkwing and Willowshade were fighting Flameheart and Hazelwhisker. When Rabbitpaw finally thought ShadowClan was getting the upper paw, the apprentice bit his hind leg and pulled, causing him to fall to the ground. She pressed her hooked claws into his pelt, causing him to yowl in pain as she tore up his shoulder.

"ShadowClan retreat!" Wolfspirit called. Rabbitpaw managed to wiggle out of the white she-cats grasp and run. When they got to camp, Rabbitpaw collapsed, a searing pain where the ThunderClan apprentice had attacked him. He looked to see Hawkwing had his right eye clawed, Silverwing was now missing an ear, and Wilowshade and Wolfspirit were bleeding pretty badly on their sides. Wolfspirit was also bleeding from a deep cut right under his throat. Brownwhisker padded out of his den, but quickly ran to grab some herbs and cobwebs for the wounded.

"What happened?" Rabbitpaw turned to see Doetail looking wide-eyed at the returning patrol. His mother rushed over to him. "Rabbitpaw, what happened?"

"Border skirmish." Hawkwing hissed in pain as the medicine cat pressed on his eye.

"Stop squirming. It's going to sting." The brown tom hissed before taking some cobweb and placing it over the wound.

"What happened?" The queen's worried gaze flickered everywhere. When Wolfspirit spoke up, they landed on him.

"ThunderClan called us prey-snatchers, and I told them no warrior in this Clan had crossed their border."

_No warrior's right. _Rabbitpaw thought bitterly. Part of him wanted to tell what he had done, but another told him not to. It would only give his mentor another reason to scold him. So he kept his secret to himself.

_"That's not the right choice."_ Duskfoot's voice sighed in his head.

_Either way it's my choice. I'm not changing it._

_"You still have much to learn."_

* * *

**_So what's your thoughts on Rabbitpaw and his mentor, Silverwing? I'm interested to hear what you guess think of the two. What's your favorite part of their personalities? What do you not like about them?_**


	4. Chapter 4

_** This story literally gained 100+ views overnight. Why? How? Is it really that good? Someone please tell me.**_

_**On other news, today's my birthday. Since I'm going out to see a movie, I thought I'd try updating for you all.**_

_**3. Elders and kits must be fed before apprentices and warriors. Unless they have permission, apprentices may not eat until they have hunted to feed the elders**_

* * *

It was five days after the border skirmish with ThunderClan. Thankfully they did not declare war, even though they did have more patrols out near ShadowClan's border. Echostar had her warrior retaliate by sending out more patrols near ThunderClan's border. Tensions were high and prey was scarce. Though Hawkwing lost his eye, he refused to retire, saying that he is still as good as any other warrior. As Rabbitpaw was on another hunting patrol, he managed to catch a mouse. Though it was a little morsel of a thing, he didn't stop his belly from growling. He scanned his surroundings, spotting or scenting no other cats nearby.

_I've been working hard! I deserve some prey! _He quickly gulped down the mouse so that no cat could see him eat it. _I'll make it up with some more prey so that Silverwing doesn't have to know._

To Rabbitpaw's luck he scented another mouse. After burying the bones and covering the blood with snow, he silently stalked towards it. That's when he saw it. This one was surprisingly plump despite it being leafbare. It was washing its whiskers, blissfully unaware of the feline who planned to make it his prey. Right as he went to pounce, a large owl swooped down and beat him to it. It fluttered to a hole in the tree and vanished inside. Rabbitpaw spat a fury. That had been his prey! That no-good, frog-brained owl took his prey! He contemplated going after it, but stopped himself.

"Take the mouse then." He hissed towards the owl's nest. "I hope you choke on it."

Rabbitpaw was quick to look for more prey. Out in the distance he could see a wonderfully plump, bright coloured bird. As he approached he could see the clearing where the twoleg nest was. A twoleg kit was trying to climb a tree while the brightly coloured bird watched. Like the fat mouse, it seemed unaware that it would soon become prey. Right as he noticed him, Rabbitpaw pounced and swiftly bit the bird's neck. The twoleg kit screeched. Rabbitpaw looked up to see it was looking right at him. He quickly grabbed the bright bird and ran off. He heard the kit land on the ground and he quickly hid under a large bramble bush. He winced as the thorns settled into his pelt, but refused to leave knowing the twoleg was looking for him. To his relief the twoleg ran past.

_I can go now... _But again he stopped himself. What if she came back? What would he do. The he had an idea. Rabbitpaw poked his head out and opened his jaws, breathing in the surrounding scents. The twoleg wasn't around. He grabbed the bird in his jaws and ran until he got to a hole in a tree. There was the strong sting of fox scent, but it was stale enough for hiding here to be safe. He slipped in and dropped the bird, listening for any sounds. Annoyance rumbled in the back of his throat as he thought about what he was doing.

"All this for a bird?" Sure the bird looked like nothing he'd seen before, but it was a bird. There were plenty out there. Why was the twoleg so concerned with this one? He over-looked the bird. Maybe it had liked the bird feathers. It had a bright collection of blue, green, red, and even some yellow feathers. It also had a dull red beak that he had never seen before on a bird.

"Whatever the reason, it's ShadowClan's prey now." He picked the bird and popped his head out. The twoleg wasn't around so he dashed out, running at full speed until he nearly ran right onto the greenleaf twolegplace. He looked out onto the lake. He knew where to go from here. He carried the bird back to camp, no signs of the twoleg who chased after him. As he placed the prey into the very small freshkill pile, Silverwing quickly padded over.

"Thank StarClan! We almost sent out a search patrol for you! Where have you been?" She stopped and looked a his catch. "What it that?"

"I don't know. Some sort of bird. I caught it near the twoleg nest while the twolegs were gone." The last part was a lie, but his mentor didn't need to know that. She sniffed it carefully.

"It seems safe. Go get Brownwhisker to look at it, and if it's safe give it to Applestorm and her kits. It's enough to feed her and four little mouths."

"What about the elders?" Silverwing flicked back her ears.

"We lost Goldendusk and Torntail. It seems when no cat was looking they would give their prey to some of the warriors and apprentices that needed it." Rabbitpaw's belly knotted up. Torntail always given the cream and brown tom a share of his prey quite a few times and Goldendusk had been quite welcoming to him despite knowing he was, by blood, a kittypet. The only other elder he liked was Oddeye. Both Whitefern and Littleleaf would never give him a chance to help them and when he did they would complain about the smallest thing. Solemnly he brought the bird to Brownwhisker, who looked it over carefully.

"It's safe to eat." He informed the apprentice before letting Rabbitpaw leave. He squeezed inside the nursery and dropped the prey at Applestorm's paws. Her stern look went from the colourful bird to the apprentice who gave it to her.

"Brownwhisker said it was safe to eat." She gave a warning hiss.

"It better be." She carefully removed the feathers and took a cautious bite. She seemed to enjoy it, though her tone of voice would say otherwise. "It seems you're right. You can leave now."

The next morning, when Rabbitpaw woke up, he heard a commotion outside. He quickly scrambled to his paws and hurried out of the den. In the middle of the clearing lay a scrawny, limp, pale silver body. He was surprised to find a sob rising to his throat as he ran over to her.

"Silverwing!"


	5. Chapter 5

_**Another chapter of The Rabbit Trap! Yes another time skip, but this is only about a moon or two later.**_

_**I'm not giving Rabbitpaw a break! :D**_

_****__4. Prey is killed only to be eaten. Give thanks to StarClan for its life._

* * *

Rabbitpaw held his head high as he carried back a plump toad to camp. It was now newleaf and the hunting was great. He was about to drop the toad in the pile, but was stopped by Wildpelt, who had just got his warrior name two days ago.

"I need your help. Just put the toad down, you can grab it when you come back." He begged. Rolling his eyes, Rabbitpaw placed the toad on the ground and followed the young warrior. He flicked his tail impatiently.

"This better be important. Hollowstrike isn't the most patient cat around, you know. He's more of a pain in the tail then Silver-" He stopped. Saying his mentor's name still sent a lot of grief through him. "_she_ could ever dream of being."

"I heard a ThunderClan patrol while we were out hunting. Ivystar died the same day I became a warrior. Yellowstar's their leader now. She made Mumbletail the new deputy, too." The brown tom whispered. Rabbitpaw felt a prick of annoyance.

"Why is this important?"

"You know Yellowstar's never liked ShadowClan! She could be plotting to invade out camp right now!"

"And ShadowClan's the strongest Clan out there! We can take down that kittypet-soft Clan!"

"Well, here's the thing, they banished Sammy and Dash! I'm surprised Barkpaw and Leafpaw haven't been banished!"

"Probably because they were born _in_ ThunderClan." The cream and brown apprentice pointed out.

"Look, just trust me, Rabbitpaw. We need to keep an eye on ThunderClan."

"Can I go now? Hollowstrike is going to be madder then a fox in a fit if he sees that I'm not done retrieving the rest of my prey."

"Alright, but remember what I told you." As Rabbitpaw padded away, he rolled his eyes.

_Wildpelt's madder then a hare if he thinks Yellowstar is just going to come out and attack us! We're not a Clan to be messed with!_ He stopped in his tracks as he saw the toad was now muddied and chewed up. He took a sniff and recognized Mintkit and Bramblekit's scent on the toad. He looked to see Dapplefur's daughters running towards the nursery to hide. He was about to call after them when he heard someone walk up behind him. He turned around to see Hollowstrike glaring down at him.

"What is the meaning of this?" He hissed as he nudged the muddied toad.

"I didn't do it! It was Mintkit and Bramblekit!"

"And hedgehogs fly. Those two know better."

_You're just saying that because they're your daughters. _He bit back the words, not wanting to be in trouble. He felt like Hollowstrike could read his mind because the tom only glared down at him even harder.

"You will not be going to any of the gatherings for the rest of your apprenticeship with me." He finally mewed coarsely. "And for the next half moon you can spend your time helping around the nursery _and _aiding Brownwhisker when you're not on patrols."

Rabbitpaw wanted to hiss and spit and wail how the brown tabby was being unfair, but the emotions were stuck bubbling as he could only glare at his new mentor. He'd do anything to get Silverwing back! He didn't want Hollowstrike as his mentor! He wanted her! She missed how when things were going right, she'd joke around with him and treat his as an equal and not a kittypet! He missed how she use to flex her claws every time she went to groom her face! He missed his old mentor! He took back every time he said he hated her! He took back every time he called her unfair! He took it all back! As Hollowstrike padded away, Rabbitpaw lowered his headas he felt a sob rise to his throat. He felt like he just swallowed a pawful of rocks.

_Silverwing! I'm sorry! Please come back! I don't want you and StarClan anymore! I don't want you dead! I'll listen to you more! Just don't leave me with Hollowstrike! I'm sorry for ever wishing you were gone!_

* * *

_**Alliances**_

**ShadowClan**

**Leader**: Echostar- a pale tabby she-cat with black stripes

**Deputy**: Wolfspirit- a large, powerful dusty brown tom **  
**

**Medicine Cat**: Brownwhisker- a solid brown tom with amber eyes

**Warriors**: Willowshade- a gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes **  
**

Nightfoot- a black tom with amber eyes

Hollowstrike- a brown tabby with blue eyes **Apprentice: Rabbitpaw**

Hawkwing- a large dark brown tabby with black tail-tip

Mottleface- a handsome mottled dark brown tabby tom with patches of white **  
**

Longfur- a long-furred black she-cat

Doetail- a pale brown she-cat with white paws

Kestrelfang- a dark brown tom with black spots

Honeylight- golden and white she-cat with green eyes

Wildpelt- messy-furred brown tom with white tail

Hazelear- light brown she-cat

**Apprentices**:

Rabbitpaw- cream and brown tom with stumpy tail

**Queens**: Applestorm- a dark ginger she-cat with dark paws. Mother of Amberkit (ginger she-cat with blue eyes), Shadekit (black tom), Beekit (tortoiseshell tom), and Pinekit (brown and black she-kit).

Dapplefur- a tortoiseshell she-cat. Has Mintkit (gray and ginger she-cat) and Bramblekit (brown tabby she-cat)

**Elders**: Oddeye- a white tom with one amber eye and one blue

Whitefern- white she-cat with green eyes

Littleleaf- an unusually small tabby tom. Former medicine cat.

**WindClan**

**Leader**: Gorsestar- A light golden tom with amber eyes **  
**

**Deputy**: Swiftheart- Black tom

**Medicine Cat**: Yew-whiskera brown tabby she-cat

**Warriors**: Willowheart- gray she-cat **Apprentice: Nightpaw**

Nettletail- a plan gray she-cat **Apprentice: Darkpaw**

Stonefang- a gray and silver tom

Dawnfeather- a ashen gray she-cat with amber eyes **Apprentice: Jaypaw**

Darkflower- a black she-cat with yellow eyes and brown tail.

Pigeonfur- brown she-cat with amber eyes

Waspwing- golden tabby with blue eyes **Apprentice Bumblepaw**

Blackfang- black tom with one white paw

Thorntail- brown tabby tom with black stripes

Bumbleflight- gray tabby with green eyes **Apprentice: Shimmerpaw**

Darkstrike- black tom

Softface-cream she-cat with white ears

**Apprentices**: Grasspaw- tabby tom

Stonepaw- gray tom

Nightpaw- black tom

Jaypaw- silver tom

Shimmerpaw- black she-cat with brown patches

**Queens**: Tallflower- black and white she-cat. Had Rushkit (black and white tom) and Podkit (dappled tom)

Skypelt- a white and blue-gray she-cat. Has Onekit (small blue-gray she-cat)

**Elders**: Owlwing- brown tom

Tallwhisker- long-legged tabby tom

**RiverClan**

**Leader**: Ashstar- thing gray she-cat

**Deputy**: Snowfern- white she-cat with silver paws**  
**

**Medicine Cat**: Lilypetal- pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with white underbelly **Apprentice: Tumblepaw**

**Warriors**: Troutsplash- brown tom with white patches **Apprentice: Bluepaw**

Stormstrike- dark gray tom with icy blue eyes

Otterheart- grayish-brown tom **Apprentice: Smokepaw**

Carpbelly- shiny, solid brown tom **  
**

Fallowpelt- pale brown she-cat

Grayear- silver tom with gray points **Apprentice: Wheatpaw****  
**

Beechclaw- brown tom

Splashface- pretty ginger and white she-cat

Fernsky- gray she-cat

Mossytail- black she-cat **Apprentice: Pouncepaw**

Whitefern- white she-cat. **Apprentice: ****Cloudpaw**

Ryecloud- black and brown she-cat

Duckfeather- brown spotted tom

Reednose- tabby tom

**Apprentices**:

Cloudpaw- white she-cat

Bluepaw- blue-gray she-cat

Wheatpaw- tan she-cat

Tumblepaw- tan tom

Pouncepaw- tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Smokepaw-dusty gray tom

**Queens**:

Hollyberry- tabby she-cat. Has Jumpkit (solid gray tom) and Amberkit (she-cat with amber eyes)

**Elders**: Dewfoot- black and gray she-cat

Daisypetal- light brown and cream she-cat.

Weedclaw- gray and brown tom

**ThunderClan**

**Leader**: Yellowstar- golden she-cat **Apprentice: Leafpaw**

**Deputy**: Mumbletail- ginger tabby **Apprentice: Barkpaw**

**Medicine Cat**: Eaglestep- a battle-scarred brown tom **Apprentice: Mothtail **(light brown tom)

**Warriors**: Heavyleap- large brown tom

Hazelwhisker- white and silver she-cat

Mousenose- dusty brown tom

Flameheart- ginger tom with white paws **  
**

Quickfoot- gray tabby

Bluewillow- blue-gray she-cat **Apprentice: Birdpaw**

Dewcloud- silver tom

Brownclaw- brown tabby tom

Dappleflame- white she-cat with black spots

**Apprentices**: Birdpaw- black she-cat

Barkpaw- brown tom

Leafpaw- tortoiseshell she-cat

**Queens**: Vinestripe- tabby she-cat. Has Swallowkit (pale tabby tom), Lightkit (light brown she-cat), Echokit (dusty she-cat)

**Elders**: Sandpelt- light ginger she-cat

Lionthroat- golden tom with thick fur around throat.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Okay, another chapter of The Rabbit Trap! This one is less of Rabbitpaw's fault and more he feels like it's his fault.**_

_******5. A kit must be at least six moons old to become an apprentice.**_

* * *

"Beepaw! Shadepaw! Amberpaw! Pinepaw!" Rabbitpaw called out the apprentice's names. However, he was not calling out in joy. Worry tainted his voice as he couldn't move his gaze off of the apprentices. They were only five moons old, but they were apprenticed early because of the war with ThunderClan. He thought bitterly back to half a moon ago when Yellowstar, in front of all four Clans, declared war on ShadowClan. The Gathering had gone silent in shock. He remembered how he cringed when Echostar accepted the ThunderClan leader's declaration of war. He knew she did it so ShadowClan didn't look weak. However, it still worried him.

His gaze turned to the apprentices' mentors. Longfur got Beepaw, Doetail got Shadepaw, Kestrelfang got Amberpaw, and Wolfspirit was now mentoring Pinepaw. His eyes followed his mother as the Clan meeting ended. He noticed Mottleface stop her, probably asking to join her and her new apprentice. Rabbitpaw's pelt prickled as he suppressed a hiss. It was obvious to the whole Clan that the handsome tom was mooning over the pale brown warrior. However, Doetail didn't returned the brown tom's affection and Rabbitpaw watched as she politely refused Mottleface's offer.

"What are you thinking about?" Wildpelt's question nearly made Rabbitpaw jump. The cream and brown tom quickly fixed his ruffled pelt before replying.

"I'm just a little worried that's all. Beepaw, Shadepaw, Amberpaw, and Pinepaw should still be in the nursery." He told his friend as he spotted Applestorm watching her kits leave camp. There was a mixture of joy for leaving the nursery and worry for her five moon old kits.

"Echostar is only doing this because it's the right thing to do. She would never put anyone in the Clan at risk." The messy-furred brown tom pointed out. Rabbitpaw nodded as he loved over to the tabby leader.

"I hope you're right..."

Three days passed after that. The kits were taught battle moves all three days to prepare them for any attack. Rabbitpaw came to notice Doetail was really unsure about training Shadepaw. Thankfully Longfur and Wolfspirit gave her some pointers here and there and would give her advice when she asked. The next day Rabbitpaw and Hollowstrike were returning from battle practice when he saw his mother leave with noon patrol. It wasn't long after that when Willowshade, who was with that patrol, ran through the entrance, beaten and bloody.

"We've been ambushed!" She managed to gasp out before collapsing. Before Rabbitpaw knew what was going on, his and Hollowstrike's names had been called out by the deputy for a backup patrol. His mentor shoved him harshly to get him moving. As they neared the ambush sight, he could see what was going on. Doetail and Shadepaw were fighting off a blue-gray she-cat who he recognized as Bluewillow. Behind Shadepaw, Mumbletail was going in for an attack.

"No!" Hissed Rabbitpaw as he leaped at the warrior, but he was late. The black tom went flying after a single powerful swipe of the ginger tom's paw. Rabbitpaw barreled into the ThunderClan deputy and slashed at his muzzle. Mumbletail pulled back, scarlet blood mixed with his ginger fur. The larger tom swiped at Rabbitpaw, but the cream and brown apprentice ducked his head and ran under Mumbletail's belly. When he got to the ginger deputy's hind legs, he quickly slashed at them with quick swipes of his unsheathed claws. The deputy fall down, almost landed on Rabbitpaw's tail. The apprentice turned and leaped at the deputy again. He landed on him right as the ginger tom had tried to get up. He nipped and swiped at the tom until Mumbletail managed to shake him off.

"ThunderClan! Retreat!" He called out before dashing off into the forest and out of the marsh. As the ThunderClan warriors and apprentices fled, Mumbletail stopped and shot Rabbitpaw a dark look before leaving with his Clan. Rabbitpaw quickly ran over to Shadepaw.

"Shadepaw?" He nudged the little apprentice, but there was no reply and no movement. Rabbitpaw was at a loss for words. Applestorm shoved pass him and pressed her muzzle into her son's fur.

"Shadepaw!" She nudged him as well, but the black tom fell limp. He pain turned to anger as she shot a glare towards ThunderClan territory and cried out: "You'll pay for this you foxhearts!"

Rabbitpaw just looked at the small limp body as ShadowClan warrior tried to hold the angered queen back.

_This is my fault... If I had moved faster... If I had gotten here on time... I... He... He would be alive... _

That night, when he finally forced himself to go to sleep, he opened his eyes to find himself in StarClan again. He looked around, trying to see who had called him here. Was it Duskfoot? Was it Shadepaw? As he thought of the young apprentice, a sob caught in his throat.

"It's not your fault. It was Shadepaw's time." The sob in Rabbitpaw's throat got worse. He knew that voice! The cream and brown tom whipped around to see his former mentor. The almost white she-cat's pelt shone like stars.

"I... I could have-" But she padded over and rested her chin on his head.

"There was nothing that you could have done to save him. It was Shadepaw's time as it was mine moons ago. You can't go through life blaming yourself. StarClan needed to show Echostar that she should have waited and that she will need to wait with Dapplefur's kits." Rabbitpaw found her voice calming and he buried his muzzle into her sleek fur.

"I miss you. I wish you hadn't had to go." He could hear a faint purr coming from the pale silver warrior.

"I miss you, too. But remember, I'm always watching over you." She swiped her tail over his ear as she turned to walk away. "Now you behave yourself. Don't let everything I've taught you be for nothing."

* * *

_**Sadly, this isn't the end. StarClan already put the plan in motion and there's no way Rabbitpaw can get out of this.**_

_**On different news, I would love to hear your suggestions for Rabbitpaw's warrior name!**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**I have yet to finish with attacking your feels right now.**_

_**6. Newly appointed warriors will keep a silent vigil for one night after receiving their warrior name.**_

_**I want to thank Carifoo2001 and GuardianFan-HE for the name ideas.  
**_

* * *

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather under the hazel branch for a Clan meeting." Echostar's voice echoed out. Rabbitpaw padded over, not really interested in hearing what the tabby leader had to say. His mind still felt numb about what had happened only three days ago with Shadepaw. The cream and brown apprentice lifted his head slightly to look for Doetail. His mother had also taken the death harshly. Thankfully Longfur had been there, since the queen knew what it felt like to lose her first apprentice. He always heard them talking about either Shadepaw or Wasppaw, who had been Longfur's first apprentice.

"I, Echostar, leader of ShadowClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to learn the ways of your noble code and I commend him to you as warrior in his turn." Rabbitpaw felt sick to his stomach. He knew what she was doing. She was making him a warrior. "Rabbitpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend the Clan, even with your life?"

"I do." Rabbitpaw found himself saying. Moons ago, the old Rabbitpaw would love to see this happen. Noe he felt like that side of him is dead and in StarClan with Shadepaw and Silverwing. He didn't want this anymore, but it was too late for him to stop it.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Rabbitpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Rabbitleap. StarClan honours your courage and your independence, and we welcome you as a full member of ShadowClan." Echostar rested her tabby head on his shoulder and he licked hers as he had seen Wildpelt and Hazelear did moons before.

"Rabbitleap! Rabbitleap! Rabbitleap!" Their cheers were filled with joy he should be feeling right now, but Rabbitleap couldn't let go of his troubled mind. He should be proud to be a warrior! He should feel proud to have made it this far!

_But what for? A real warrior could have saved Shadepaw. You're nothing but a- a... _Rabbitleap stopped himself from hesitating. He hated the word still but it was the truth. _A kittypet._

_Silverwing wouldn't want you blaming yourself._ As the cheers died down, Echostar's voice snapped him into reality.

"However, unlike other newly made warriors, Rabbitleap will not be sitting vigil. Tonight he will join an ambush that will be sitting near ThunderClan border before the sun rises and to do so, must leave with the rest of the patrol."

"Why is he so special?" Spat Kestrelfang, who had sat vigil in the freezing cold.

"He is the fastest cat in the Clan next to Nightfoot, but as you know Nightfoot is in the medicine cat den and will need to stay there until his hind leg has recovered." Rabbitleap thought back. The day after Shadepaw's passing, the black-furred warrior had gotten his paw twisted after he tried to get away from a ThunderClan warrior by the name of Brownclaw. This resulted in Nightfoot twisting that paw. Brownwhisker refused to let Nightfoot continue fighting until the leg got better.

Kestrelfang help his leader's gaze for a moment, but looked away in the end, muttering to himself bitterly. With this, Echostar moved on. The tabby lifted her head as she glanced around at her warriors and apprentices.

"This patrol will consist of me, Rabbitleap, Longfur, Doetail, Honeylight, Wildpelt, and Hollowstrike. I don't want any apprentices joining this ambush, for will be attack ThunderClan in their own territory. We will be striking their dawn patrol, who will have just woken up and be unprepared for our attack. Me and the chosen warriors will be heading towards the border right before sunset and will sleep there. With that, this Clan meeting is over" Murmurs broke through the Clan of worry.

"Will this work?"

"Echostar has never been wrong before." Rabbitleap's belly knotted in concern. He looked to see Wildpelt bounding up to him. Rabbitleap tried to purr, but worry was pricking his pelt and he couldn't find a happy place to put his mind.

"Nice name, Rabbitleap. Glad to finally be a warrior?" The wild-furred brown tom asked.

"It feels great." He lied. Concern shaped Wildpelt's features.

"You okay?" The cream and brown warrior nodded.

"Yeah, just a little nervous about the battle." Another lie slipped pass his tongue. Wildpelt purred.

"It'll be fine. Just you wait and see."

As sunset started to take place, Echostar rounded up the warriors. As they padded towards the border, the she-cat motioned Rabbitleap over.

"I know you probably don't what to fight. Not after what... Happened not to long ago. So, instead, if we need you to run and get back up, that's what I want you to do, okay?" She asked the warrior in a quieted down tone. Rabbitleap nodded, feeling oddly relived.

"Okay." A whispered the warrior. The gray tabby nodded and Rabbitleap fell back next to Doetail and Hollowstrike.

"What did she want to talk to you about?" Asked his mother, the queen looking as worried as he felt.

"Just to be careful, since I was just made a warrior." Rabbitleap realized what he said, Another lie. He silently hoped this wasn't going to become a habit. Though worry still gleamed in his mothers eyes, she nodded. He could tell she wanted to still treat him like a kit, and he felt in his heart he could understand that. He was her only kit and she was worried about him because she lost her young apprentice. They got there before nightfall. As they prepared to rest, Echostar made one more announcement.

"I will be keeping first guard. After a while I will wake Honeylight for second, and she agreed to wake Hollowstrike for third if she needs to. Get some sleep, my warriors, you'll need it for tomorrow." Rabbitleap found he could go to sleep this night. As soon as he closed his eyes he was asleep. When he opened them, he recognized the star-lit forest he was in.

_Maybe it's Silverwing._ He hoped to see his mentor or Duskfoot. He needed the comfort of one of them. Instead a pale brown and white she-cat pounced on top of him and pinned the young warrior down. Her yellow eyes were beaming with anger. Without even letting her speak, Rabbitleap kicked her off and quickly scrambled to his paws. The she-cat let out a hiss and was ready to pounce again. Thankfully Duskfoot ran in front of her. The smokey black tom lashed his tail.

"What is this about, Sandbriar?"

"How come that flea-ridden furball doesn't have to sit vigil with my own kit had to? Kestrelfang nearly caught whitecough!" She spat, looking towards Rabbitleap with a glare and then craning her neck to look the smokey black warrior in the eye.

"You're Kestrelfang's mother?" Rabbitleap asked, looking towards the queen. He didn't recall seeing her.

"Of course!" Her tail lashed.

"She died giving birth to him." Sandbriar shot a glare at Duskfoot when the former ShadowClan tom told Rabbitleap.

"I could've told him that." She pulled back her teeth to show snowy white fangs.

"When? When you weren't harassing him about not sitting vigil? It was not Rabbitleap's choice. It had been Echostar's."

"He could have said _something_." As the two bickered Rabbitleap felt himself slipping away. A distant whisper hummed in his ear. One that sounded like his mother's.

_"Wake up, Rabbitleap."_ It called. _"It's time for everyone to wake up."_

* * *

**_And here we go!_**

**_I went with Rabbitleap, because it felt right to me._**


	8. Chapter 8

_**I won't be updating much between friends and family and prepping for college.**_

_**7. A cat cannot be made deputy without having mentored at least one apprentice.**_

* * *

Rabbitleap opened his eyes and looked up as his mother. Doetail's amber eyes revealed her doubt on this mission.

"Come on, before dawn arrives." Her mew was calm, not showing the emotions that her eyes did. As he rose to his paws, he saw that Wolfspirit had come by. The deputy was whispering something to the leader. He would have tried to overhear if not for Wildpelt approaching him.

"You ready?" The messy brown tom asked. Rabbitleap couldn't read his friend's emotions as easily as his friend read his. The cream and brown warrior finally nodded as he fixed his gaze past Wildpelt and onto the ThunderClan territory that lay past his friend.

"As ready as I'll ever be."

"All cats gather around." Echostar's voice was as calm as Doetail's had been. She did not speak all too loudly as if she were afraid she'd wake ThunderClan. The tabby overlooked the group of warriors. Something flickered in her eyes. A knowing that she didn't seem to want to share, but Rabbitleap was unable to think of what she would be hiding from her own Clan. Echostar was a very honest cat and not the one to hide secrets. "I feel like I finally must announce this. I am on my final life."

_What?_ Rabbitleap felt frozen as he looked at Echostar. The worried and panicked whispers of his Clanmates filled his ears.

"Then why go into battle when your Clan needs you?" Hollowstrike's voice rose about the rest. Echostar's calm gaze fell onto the powerful warrior.

"Because it's my duty as leader to fight for my Clan. I have lived an eventful eight lives, and I would rather lose my ninth in battle then I did my first to greencough. I do not want any special help. I want you all to fight as if I had all nine of my lives, do you understand?" He question was met with silence at first. Silence, until Honeylight spoke up.

"I understand." The gold and white she-cat called out.

"I do, too." Hollowstrike dipped his head to the tabby leader.

"I do."

"I understand." The voices of his Clanmates rose. He even heard his mother's.

"I understand." Rabbitleap finally said himself. A twinkle of sorrowed joy lit up in Echostar's eyes.

"Thank you." She sounded so grateful. That's when Rabbitleap came to realize how old the leader was. He had never noticed the silver growing around her muzzle, or the bone-tired look in her eyes until now. He understood now that she knew she wasn't going to leave as long as the Clan had hoped. He realized that she knew that she was getting weaker by the day. He overlooked how she looked so thin, like she hadn't been eating much.

_She's ill, isn't she? _Rabbitleap realized. _And she doesn't want the illness to kill her._

"Let's go." The elderly leader called out. Rabbitleap looked. The sun was starting to show. Wolfspirit joined the patrol against their leader's wishes. Rabbitleap padded next to Wildpelt, who looked worried and confused.

"I never would have guessed she was on her last life." The brown tom muttered to himself, his green eyes distant.

_Me either._ Rabbitleap thought bitterly. As they slipped into ThunderClan territory, Rabbitleap felt numb. The image of Sandbriar appeared into his mind over and over as he remembered what happened last night. The queen's fury was bone-chilling. She really did loathe the young warrior. With a swipe of her tail, Echostar signaled to go into hiding. In the distance tired pawsteps made their way toward them. Right as a patrol of five stepped into view, Echostar's yowl sounded out and ShadowClan attacked. All Rabbitleap could see was a fury of fur and claws. The cream and brown warrior himself drew blood of a black she-cat who looked a moon younger then he did. He pinned her down and dug his claws into her pelt. The she-cat squirmed and let out a yowl of pain as he dug his claws in deeper and blood started to build up around his claws, tainting them a deep scarlet.

"Birdpaw!" Rabbitleap heard Bluewillow's voice hiss in time to dodge her leap. He nimbly ducked away and let go of Birdpaw in the process. "Go get help!" Bluewillow ordered her apprentice. The black she-cat nodded and ran off, leaving Rabbitleap face to face with the blue-gray she-cat. Her white-dipped muzzle was pulled back into a snarl and her cold golden eyes made Rabbitleap feel frozen.

_"Remember, Rabbitleap, don't let all your training be for nothing."_ Silverwing's voice rang in his ears. For a heartbeat he caught the scent of his mentor right next to him. That was enough to fill him with energy. His blood burned like fire as he leaped at the senior warrior. Once more he saw nothing but fur and claws as he fought the ThunderClan queen. After what seemed like a terrifying lifetime, a brown tom called out retreat in front of the limp, ginger body of Mumbletail.

"ThunderClan retreat!" Panic was flashing like wildfire in the tom's blue eyes. With the help of a large brown tom, they carried away the body of the dead deputy. Relief flooded Rabbitleap as he watched them run. His right ear stung, as it had been shredded by the blue-gray warrior, and his muscles ached with a burning passion. His gaze turned to his Clanmates, who were mourning over a body. Worried, Rabbitleap ran over. His gaze fell on the powerful form of Wolfspirit.

"I was told this would happen." Echostar muttered silently as she pressed her muzzle on the fallen deputy's. "StarClan said he should have never become deputy."

"Why?" A look of concern drew over Longfur.

"He had never mentored an apprentice before he became deputy."

* * *

_**Alliances**_

**ShadowClan**

**Leader**: Echostar- a pale tabby she-cat with black stripes

**Deputy**: Wolfspirit- a large, powerful dusty brown tom **APPRENTICE: Pinepaw****  
**

**Medicine Cat**: Brownwhisker- a solid brown tom with amber eyes

**Warriors**: Willowshade- a gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes **  
**

Nightfoot- a black tom with amber eyes

Hollowstrike- a brown tabby with blue eyes**  
**

Hawkwing- a large dark brown tabby with black tail-tip

Mottleface- a handsome mottled dark brown tabby tom with patches of white **  
**

Longfur- a long-furred black she-cat **APPRENTICE: Beepaw**

Applestorm- a dark ginger she-cat with dark paws.

Doetail- a pale brown she-cat with white paws

Kestrelfang- a dark brown tom with black spots **APPRENTICE: Amberpaw**

Honeylight- golden and white she-cat with green eyes

Wildpelt- messy-furred brown tom with white tail

Hazelear- light brown she-cat

Rabbitleap- cream and brown tom with stumpy tail

**Apprentices**:

Amberpaw- ginger she-cat with blue eyes

Beepaw- tortoiseshell tom

Pinepaw- brown and black she-kit

**Queens**: Dapplefur- a tortoiseshell she-cat. Has Mintkit (gray and ginger she-cat) and Bramblekit (brown tabby she-cat)

**Elders**: Oddeye- a white tom with one amber eye and one blue

Whitefern- white she-cat with green eyes

Littleleaf- an unusually small tabby tom. Former medicine cat.

**WindClan**

**Leader**: Gorsestar- A light golden tom with amber eyes **  
**

**Deputy**: Swiftheart- Black tom

**Medicine Cat**: Yew-whisker- a brown tabby she-cat **Apprentice: Onepaw**

**Warriors**: Willowheart- gray she-cat **Apprentice: Nightpaw**

Nettletail- a plan gray she-cat **Apprentice: Darkpaw**

Stonefang- a gray and silver tom

Dawnfeather- a ashen gray she-cat with amber eyes **Apprentice: Jaypaw**

Darkflower- a black she-cat with yellow eyes and brown tail.

Pigeonfur- brown she-cat with amber eyes

Waspwing- golden tabby with blue eyes **Apprentice Bumblepaw**

Blackfang- black tom with one white paw

Thorntail- brown tabby tom with black stripes

Bumbleflight- gray tabby with green eyes **Apprentice: Shimmerpaw**

Darkstrike- black tom

Skypelt- a white and blue-gray she-cat.

Softface-cream she-cat with white ears

Grass-stripe- tabby tom

Stonecloud- gray tom

**Apprentices**: Nightpaw- black tom

Jaypaw- silver tom

Shimmerpaw- black she-cat with brown patches

Onepaw- small blue-gray she-cat

**Queens**: Tallflower- black and white she-cat. Had Rushkit (black and white tom) and Podkit (dappled tom)

**Elders**: Owlwing- brown tom

Tallwhisker- long-legged tabby tom

**RiverClan**

**Leader**: Ashstar- thing gray she-cat

**Deputy**: Snowfern- white she-cat with silver paws**  
**

**Medicine Cat**: Lilypetal- pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with white underbelly **Apprentice: Tumblepaw**

**Warriors**: Troutsplash- brown tom with white patches **Apprentice: Bluepaw**

Stormstrike- dark gray tom with icy blue eyes

Otterheart- grayish-brown tom **Apprentice: Smokepaw**

Carpbelly- shiny, solid brown tom **  
**

Fallowpelt- pale brown she-cat

Grayear- silver tom with gray points **Apprentice: Wheatpaw****  
**

Beechclaw- brown tom

Splashface- pretty ginger and white she-cat

Fernsky- gray she-cat

Mossytail- black she-cat **  
**

Whitefern- white she-cat. **Apprentice: ****Cloudpaw**

Ryecloud- black and brown she-cat

Duckfeather- brown spotted tom

Reednose- tabby tom

**Apprentices**:

Cloudpaw- white she-cat

Bluepaw- blue-gray she-cat

Wheatpaw- tan she-cat

Tumblepaw- tan tom

Smokepaw-dusty gray tom

**Queens**:

Hollyberry- tabby she-cat. Has Jumpkit (solid gray tom)

**Elders**: Dewfoot- black and gray she-cat

Daisypetal- light brown and cream she-cat.

Weedclaw- gray and brown tom

**ThunderClan**

**Leader**: Yellowstar- golden she-cat **Apprentice: Leafpaw**

**Deputy**: Mumbletail- ginger tabby **Apprentice: Barkpaw**

**Medicine Cat**: Mothtail- light brown tom

**Warriors**: Heavyleap- large brown tom

Mousenose- dusty brown tom **Apprentice: Echopaw**

Eaglestep- a battle-scarred brown tom **Apprentice: Swallowpaw**

Flameheart- ginger tom with white paws

Vinestripe- tabby she-cat**  
**

Quickfoot- gray tabby

Bluewillow- blue-gray she-cat **Apprentice: Birdpaw**

Dewcloud- silver tom

Brownclaw- brown tabby tom

Dappleflame- white she-cat with black spots **A****pprentice: Lightpaw**

**Apprentices**: Birdpaw- black she-cat

Barkpaw- brown tom

Leafpaw- tortoiseshell she-cat

Swallowpaw- pale tabby tom

Lightpaw- light brown she-cat

Echopaw- dusty she-cat

**Queens**:

Hazelwhisker- white and silver she-cat

**Elders**: Sandpelt- light ginger she-cat

Lionthroat- golden tom with thick fur around throat.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Hey lovlies! I'm back to working on fanfiction! I will be doing my best to update as much as possible!**_

_**8. ****The deputy will become Clan leader when the leader dies, retires or is exiled.**_

* * *

_"Wolfspirit never had an apprentice."_

_"What?"_

_"Why? That's against the code!"_

_"I know... But at the time... He was the only cat I could trust."_

_"That's ridiculous! There were plenty of loyal warriors who had trained an apprentice at the time!"_

_"You don't understand..."_

Rabbitleap shook his head violently, trying to get what she meant.

"What don't we understand...?" He muttered, looking up towards the leader's den. He knew Echostar was most likely in there, looking as weak and tired as ever. It worried him. It worried the whole Clan. True, they now had Mottleface as deputy, and no cat could doubt his loyalty, but... Well, Echostar was the only leader he ever knew. It would feel so different without her, even if she did break the code.

_I guess me and her aren't so different, huh?_ The bitter thought crossed his mind. He winced as Silverwing's face appeared in his mind. It was his fault she was dead. It was his fault that she walked with StarClan.

"Every cat old enough to catch their own... own prey, gather under the... hazel branch for a Clan meeting." Echostar wheezed, catching the young warrior's attention. It had only been two days after the death of Mumblefoot and Wolfspirit and his once proud leader looked like nothing but a sack of bones and fur.

"I... I want it to be known... That... When I pass on, Mottleface will not be leader."

"What?"

"Is she crazy?"

"Then why name him deputy?"

_What are you doing, Echostar?_ Rabbitleap frowned as he watched her. She waved her tail for silence and it came in a heavy coat.

"Instead, I want my son, Hollowstrike, to become leader." Rabbitleap was stunned. Not only was he surprised that Hollowstrike was her son, but he was also surprised she dared to name a cat who was not her deputy the next Clan leader. He looked towards his former mentor to see the dark tabby's ears flicked back and a mess of emotions glowing in his eyes.

"Echostar, I-" The warrior started, but Echostar only cut him off.

"You heard me. And you know that the leader's word is law. I won't hear any more on the issue." With that she stumbled back into the leader's den. Slowly, all eyes turned to Hollowstrike, who seemed too stunned to move. Rabbitleap had never seen the powerful tom so confused and frightened. The rest of the day passed slowly and as the sun started to set, the brown and cream warrior noticed Hollowstrike pacing outside of the leader's den. Despite his dislike for the tom, he did feel sorry for him.

"What's wrong?" The young warrior brought himself to ask as he approached the older tom.

"I... I just don't understand." He muttered. "Why would she do this? Why would she break the code a second time?"

Rabbitleap soon noticed Holliowstrike was only talking to himself, not acknowledging his former apprentice at all. Ears flattened, he went to the warriors den, only to be stopped by Wildpelt and Hazelear.

"I can't believe she did that." Hazelear stated, looking from Rabbitleap, to where Echostar rested, then back.

"I know..." Was all Rabbitleap could say. Silence fell between the three. It felt heavy to Rabbitleap and he hated the feeling. Slowly they made their way into the warriors den. Without saying goodnight, they laid in their respective nests. However, Rabbitleap found he couldn't sleep so easily. Every time he closed his eyes, his earlier apprentice years flashed into his mind.

_"Silverwing, you have shown great patience throughout your moons as a warrior, so I will entrust you with young Rabbitpaw here. I hope you can you can be able to time this lively apprentice." _

Echostar... Back when she was still proud...

_"No, Rabbitpaw, you can't hunt like that. You have to keep your tail low and calm, not swishing it around and making noise."_

He gave a weak purr. He never was the best hunter...

_"Sometime's you're too much to handle, you know that?"_

Rabbitleap knew he had been... If only he had been a better apprentice...

_"I really want you to be a great warrior. You can't just walk all over the code and expect to get away with it."_

_I know..._

_"You silly furball, you've got bramble thorns all over you. We're hunting mice, not berries."_

A sob found it's way to his throat. That was when they had first started to get along...

"I'm proud of you..."

Rabbitleap froze. That one wasn't a thought. He whipped around to see Silverwing, the stars in her pelt shining brightly.

"You turned into a fine warrior." She said with a purr, approached him slowly. The sob in his throat made him tremble as he slowly placed her muzzle on his head. "I knew you'd make me proud."

"Silverwing..." His mew was course and like the whine of a kit then the sob of a warrior. She pulled her head back and looked at him with kind yellow eyes.

"I'm sorry I can't stay long this time."

"W-why not?"

"There's someone joining StarClan as we speak. And please, tell Hollowstrike he doesn't have to be leader. It's Mottleface's place, not his."

"W-wait, nothing bad is going to happen..?" To his relief she shook her head.

"No. Not unless you don't tell him. Hollowstrike may not be young, but he's not ready to be leader. Wolfspirit wasn't either." She explained. With one last purr she was gone and he was left with the darkness in his mind. It wasn't long until he opened his eyes. A startled yowl caught his attention. He and his clanmates gathered outside to see Brownwhisker and Hollowstrike. The medicine cat turned his head and called to everyone.

"Echostar is dead."

Yowls and murmers rushed like waves through the gathering of cats. Rabbitleap had no idea how to feel. He mourned for his leader, but he was glad she wasn't suffering. As he looked at Hollowstrike, Silverwing's warning echoed through his ears. As the elders padded past to bring the body out, Rabbitleap approached the dark brown tabby. This time it seemed Hollowstrike had noticed him.

"Yes?" There was no emotion in his voice. It was hard to tell if he was hurt.

"I just wanted to say that you don't have to become leader. I don't think Echostar meant it." He flinched when Hollowstrike glared at him, but soon the glare faded and the younger warrior relaxed.

"Very well..." He muttered. "It's Mottleface's place, not mine."

Rabbitleap lingered for a moment then padded away. He knew loss was hard. He had felt its pain before.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Let's see what happens now with our unlucky rabbit.**_

**_9. After the death or retirement of the deputy, a new deputy must be chosen at sunhigh._**

* * *

To say the Clan was worried was an understatement. Rabbitleap watched as the cats whispered amongst themselves. Not only had Mottlefac-_star_ been a bit lost when he left to get his nine lives, but it was almost a full day since he returned and he had still not named a deputy. Everyone was panicking that he was breaking the code and that StarClan will be displeased by his actions. Even Doetail looked a little worried and he knew his mother's faith in StarClan wasn't that strong. As he sighed, his gaze shifting to the nursery. Hazelear had just moved in there, expecting kits. However, no one really talked about a father. All thought it was Wildtail, even Rabbitleap. The two were close enough to be kin without being related by blood.

"You worried, too?" Rabbitleap was startled to see Hawkwing, who had retired to the elders den after an injury refused to heal correctly, standing next to him. After a heartbeat of recollecting himself, Rabbitleap nodded.

"Yeah. It's hard not to be. What if he doesn't chose a deputy? What happens then?" The brown and cream tom wondered.

"Your guess is as good as mine." The tom awkwardly limped away with those words.

* * *

In the blink of an eye another day had passed, soon to be followed by another. Both of them covered in thick, endless rain. Mottlestar had still not named his deputy and the Clan was stirring. Rabbitleap could hear them. They would whisper how Hollowstrike would make a better leader, how Mottlestar was not ready to lead. He even heard plans to overthrow Mottlestar. But Rabbitleap never once agreed with them. He knew the role of the leader was a hard one. The Clan needed the leader to solve their problems. He quietly padded to the leader's den. He could still smell a stale tang of Echostar's scent and he slowly realized how much he missed his leader.

"Yes?" Mottlestar's voice snapped him back to reality.

"I wanted to speak with you."

"About what?" The mottled tabby beckoned the warrior in. Rabbitleap obeyed and took a deep breath.

"I think you should choose a deputy today. The Clan talks of overthrowing you."

"I know what they're talking about." His ears flicked back. "I've heard them too. I just... There are too many good cats to choose from and I was hoping StarClan would give me a sign, but they haven't..."

"Then why not choose the cat you think would be better?" He flinched, but Mottlestar didn't seem to notice. The dark brown tabby pondered for a bit before nodded.

"I think I have a good idea on who I want to be my deputy." With that, Rabbitleap left. Wildtail was the one who met up with him outside.

"What was that about?" The messy-furred tom asked, blinking in curiosity.

"I think Mottlestar finally decided his deputy."

"Who?" But Rabbitleap only shrugged. Wildtail seem to get the hint because the tom nodded in understanding before Hazelear called him over. As Rabbitleap looked at his kit-hood friend he felt a pang of grief. It was obvious the two were growing apart. He and Wildtail had different things that mattered. Wildtail had his normal life while Rabbitleap had to lay in fear of what StarClan was going to do next because of how stupid he had been as an apprentice.

_But I won't tell him. If we grow apart, that's that. It'll just be another part of your younger moons you'll never get back. _Rabbitleap frowned to himself. He didn't like the sound of what he said, but he knew it was true. He looked up towards the clouds where the rain was falling from and started towards the warrior den.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather under hazel branch for a Clan meeting." Mottlestar's voice caught his attention. He turned to see the new leader standing proud on the branch were Echostar once stood. Cats gathered quickly, eager to hear what he had to say. "I have finally decided who to name my deputy. My StarClan approve my choice. My deputy will be Nightfoot!"

"Nightfoot! Nightfoot!" The Clan cheered. The weight that the Clan had carried due to its lack of a deputy was lifted as the black tom looked proud, but also embarrassed to get as much praise as he did. Rabbitleap was glad that it was over. Though it was still raining, he knew StarClan was probably relaxing now too now that Mottlestar had finally made his choice. He had no clue when the storm was going to let up, but he hoped it would be soon.

* * *

_**Alliances**_

**ShadowClan**

**Leader**: Mottlestar- a handsome mottled dark brown tabby tom with patches of white

**Deputy**: Nightfoot- a black tom with amber eyes**  
**

**Medicine Cat**: Brownwhisker- a solid brown tom with amber eyes

**Warriors**: Willowshade- a gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes **  
**

Hollowstrike- a brown tabby with blue eyes**  
**

Longfur- a long-furred black she-cat **APPRENTICE: Beepaw**

Applestorm- a dark ginger she-cat with dark paws.

Doetail- a pale brown she-cat with white paws **APPRENTICE: Pinepaw**

Kestrelfang- a dark brown tom with black spots **APPRENTICE: Amberpaw**

Honeylight- golden and white she-cat with green eyes

Wildpelt- messy-furred brown tom with white tail

Rabbitleap- cream and brown tom with stumpy tail

**Apprentices**:

Amberpaw- ginger she-cat with blue eyes

Beepaw- tortoiseshell tom

Pinepaw- brown and black she-kit

**Queens**: Dapplefur- a tortoiseshell she-cat. Has Mintkit (gray and ginger she-cat) and Bramblekit (brown tabby she-cat)

Hazelear- light brown she-cat.

**Elders**: Oddeye- a white tom with one amber eye and one blue

Littleleaf- an unusually small tabby tom. Former medicine cat.

Hawkwing- a large dark brown tabby with black tail-tip

**WindClan**

**Leader**: Gorsestar- A light golden tom with amber eyes **  
**

**Deputy**: Blackfang- black tom with one white paw

**Medicine Cat**: Yew-whisker- a brown tabby she-cat **Apprentice: Onepaw**

**Warriors**: Willowheart- gray she-cat **Apprentice: Nightpaw**

Nettletail- a plan gray she-cat **Apprentice: Darkpaw**

Stonefang- a gray and silver tom

Dawnfeather- a ashen gray she-cat with amber eyes **Apprentice: Jaypaw**

Waspwing- golden tabby with blue eyes **Apprentice Bumblepaw**

Thorntail- brown tabby tom with black stripes

Bumbleflight- gray tabby with green eyes **Apprentice: Shimmerpaw**

Darkstrike- black tom

Softface-cream she-cat with white ears

Grass-stripe- tabby tom

Stonecloud- gray tom

**Apprentices**: Nightpaw- black tom

Shimmerpaw- black she-cat with brown patches

Onepaw- small blue-gray she-cat

**Queens**: Tallflower- black and white she-cat. Had Rushkit (black and white tom) and Podkit (dappled tom)

Skypelt- a white and blue-gray she-cat. Has Ashkit (gray she-cat with blue-gray muzzle.) and Tinykit (pure white tom with yellow eyes)

Darkflower- a black she-cat with yellow eyes and brown tail.

**Elders**: Owlwing- brown tom

Tallwhisker- long-legged tabby tom

**RiverClan**

**Leader**: Ashstar- thin gray she-cat

**Deputy**: Snowfern- white she-cat with silver paws**  
**

**Medicine Cat**: Lilypetal- pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with white underbelly **Apprentice: Tumblepaw**

**Warriors**: Troutsplash- brown tom with white patches **Apprentice: Bluepaw**

Stormstrike- dark gray tom with icy blue eyes

Otterheart- grayish-brown tom **Apprentice: Smokepaw**

Carpbelly- shiny, solid brown tom **  
**

Fallowpelt- pale brown she-cat

Grayear- silver tom with gray points **Apprentice: Wheatpaw****  
**

Beechclaw- brown tom

Splashface- pretty ginger and white she-cat

Fernsky- gray she-cat

Mossytail- black she-cat **  
**

Whitefern- white she-cat. **Apprentice: ****Cloudpaw**

Duckfeather- brown spotted tom

Reednose- tabby tom

**Apprentices**:

Cloudpaw- white she-cat

Bluepaw- blue-gray she-cat

Wheatpaw- tan she-cat

Tumblepaw- tan tom

Smokepaw-dusty gray tom

**Queens**:

Hollyberry- tabby she-cat. Has Jumpkit (solid gray tom)

Ryecloud- black and brown she-cat

**Elders**:

Weedclaw- gray and brown tom

**ThunderClan**

**Leader**: Yellowstar- golden she-cat **Apprentice: Leafpaw**

**Deputy**: Vinestripe- tabby she-cat **Apprentice: Barkpaw**

**Medicine Cat**: Mothtail- light brown tom

**Warriors**: Heavyleap- large brown tom

Mousenose- dusty brown tom **  
**

Eaglestep- a battle-scarred brown tom **Apprentice: Swallowpaw**

Flameheart- ginger tom with white paws

Quickfoot- gray tabby

Bluewillow- blue-gray she-cat **Apprentice: Birdpaw**

Brownclaw- brown tabby tom

Dappleflame- white she-cat with black spots **A****pprentice: Lightpaw**

**Apprentices**: Birdpaw- black she-cat

Barkpaw- brown tom

Leafpaw- tortoiseshell she-cat

Swallowpaw- pale tabby tom

Lightpaw- light brown she-cat

**Queens**:

Hazelwhisker- white and silver she-cat. Has Breezekit (silver tabby tom), Lightkit (light gray she-cat), and Wrenkit (brown tom)

**Elders**: Sandpelt- light ginger she-cat

Lionthroat- golden tom with thick fur around throat.


	11. Chapter 11

_**Ah, here we go, another chapter.**_

_**I actually feel bad that Rabbitleap is still paying for his mistakes, but I guess he stands as the reason you shouldn't break the Code, huh? Bad things haunt you.**_

**_10. A Gathering of all four Clans is held at the full moon during a truce that lasts for the night. There shall be no fighting among Clans at this time._**

* * *

Rabbitleap watched as a full moon was barely visible through the pines. He knew the Gathering was tonight. He didn't want to go, honestly. Ever since Softpaw, who he knew was now known as Softface, he would make up excuses not to go. Usually he would say he was unwell. But tonight, if Mottlestar announced his name, he would face his mistake of trusting her. That is, if she was there. Thinking about their confrontation filled him with both anger and a sickening feeling that how he use to be was what brought him where he was today. As cats gathered around hazel branch, Mottlestar made his announcement.

"Tonight's gathering, I will be accompanied by Willowshade, Longfur, Beepaw, Wildpelt, Rabbitleap, and Hollowstrike." His confident gaze swept through the crowd of cats. "We will be heading out soon enough, so get ready."

With that the meeting was over and a rock formed in Rabbitleap's belly. He wanted to run up to Mottlestar and say he was ill, but he knew he had to do this. Wildpelt bounded up next to Rabbitleap, his pale green eyes shining.

"We finally get to go to a Gathering together! Isn't that great?" The brown tabby purred.

"Yeah." Rabbitleap lied as he faked a purr. He wasn't looking forward to this.

"I'm going to tell Hazelear goodbye real quick, okay?"

"Okay..." With that his friend was gone. He took a deep breath as he waited for the group to leave fr the Gathering. Every heart-beat felt like seasons until Mottlestar finally gathering the selected warriors, apprentice, his deputy, and his medicine cat. Rabbitleap payed no attention to what Mottlestar was saying, or what anyone was saying, during the walk to the island. All he could hear was his heart thudding in his ears. He almost didn't notice Wildpelt was talking to him until the messy-furred tom nudged him, making the cream and brown warrior jump.

"Hey, are you okay?" His eyes flickered with concern. Rabbitleap gave a shaky nod.

"Y-yeah. Just taking in how odd it'll be to not see ThunderClan in battle." It wasn't the full truth, but he was sure it'd tame his friend's curiosity. Wildpelt gave an encouraging purr.

"They're not all annoying furballs. Flamefoot is a cool warrior. He doesn't agree with Yellowstar's way of leading and..." Rabbitleap started to zone Wildpelt out again as he realized Yellowstar would be there too. He almost wanted to start running back to camp, but he knew it was getting too late for that as the fallen log to the island came into view. He felt maggots squirm in his belly at the thought of facing both she-cats. As he slowly zoned back into the conversation, he realized Wildpelt had gone quiet and that it was Mottlestar who started talking.

"Now, things are very tense between us and ThunderClan. I don't want any of you bringing up Mumbletail or Echostar with the intentions of getting ShadowClan in trouble. Right now we have to keep our reputation strong in one of our weakest hours. I know well that the other Clans look down on us like code-breaking killers, and if the other two Clans found out Mumbletail's blood was on a ShadowClan warrior's paws, we would have them against us, and as of right now, our lack of warriors restricts us from getting into any more fighting."

_He's worried..._ Rabbitleap didn't blame him. He was worried, too. So, as the group of ShadowClan cats padded to where RiverClan and WindClan were already waiting, silnce stood between the warriors who padded behind Mottlestar. Up on the branch where the leaders stood were Gorsestar and Ashstar, who didn't even bother looking at each other. The tension between the two leaders were more then obvious.

"What's going on between them?" Rabbitleap whispered to Wildpelt.

"Gorsestar thinks Ashstar and her warriors are prey-stealers. Strangely enough, the warriors are getting along better then their leaders. Neither side agrees with their leader, or if they do, they're not showing it."

"So we're not the only one fighting..."

"Well, as far as I know they're not fighting yet." Before Rabbitleap could say anything, a silver tom with gray points called Wildpelt over.

"Wildpelt! Come here! I want you to meet my apprentice." The tom purred.

"Sure thing, Grayear!" Without a goodbye, Rabbitleap's den-mate bounded off towards the RiverClan cats. That's when Rabbitleap realized how alone he was. He had no friends from other Clans to talk to, he had no kin, or Clanmates that wanted to stick around. He found a seat for the Gathering and stayed there, shuffling his paws awkwardly. Now he regretted all those times he didn't go as an apprentice.

"I don't really like a lot of the cats from other Clans." A she-cat's voice caught his attention. He looked around to see a golden tabby tom sitting with a cream she-cat. He looked away quickly as anger surged through him as well as mixed emotions of regret and pain.

"Look, I know you think WindClan is the best, but it's not all the time that you can talk with cats from other Clans, Softface." Waspwing sighed. Quickly, Rabbitleap shut them out, digging his claws into the soft earth underneath him. He hated his choice to come here. He wanted to leave now and never return. As he looked towards the entrance, in hopes he could sneak back to camp, a golden pelt slipped into view, followed by the strong scent of other ThunderClan cats. ThunderClan had arrived and cats were gathering around where he was sitting. There was no way to escape now.

"Now that Yellowstar has arrived, let the Gathering begin." Ashstar announced as Yellowstar made her way to the branch. The ThunderClan leader shot the RiverClan cat a nasty look for starting before she was up with them, but said nothing. "RiverClan has been doing well. We've been enjoying our plentiful _fish from the rivers_." The last part was accompanied by a sharp glare at Gorsestar. Mottlestar was quick to go next.

"ShadowClan has been doing well. I was named deputy after we lost Wolfspirit, and Echostar passed away six suns ago to illness. But this doesn't mean ShadowClan isn't still strong. We are thriving. We have a new warrior with us, Rabbitleap."

"Rabbitleap! Rabbitleap!" Rabbitleap felt his pelt burned as ShadowClan and a few other cats cheered his name. He had completely forgotten that he was a recent warrior. His warrior ceremony felt like moons ago.

"That is all." Mottlestar dipped his head, and Gorsestar was next to make an announcement.

"Skypelt was blessed with two kits, Ashkit and Tinykit. There was a third, but she had been stillborn..." There was a quick moment of silence for the lost of a life that never had a chance. "Other then that, WindClan is doing fine." Rabbitleap's heart quickened as Yellowstar took her turn to speak.

"As you know, Mottle_star_," Mottlestar's new name was hissed with malice, "we too have lost a great deputy. Mumbletail was murdered." The announced the last three words loudly and the warriors and apprentices watched in absolute silence. "Yes, you heard me, murdered. And by who? Those fox-hearted ShadowClan cats. They ambushed a patrol and struck him down with no mercy! Even after we called a truce-"

"That isn't true!" Rabbitleap found himself bristling as he objected to the golden leader's statement of a truce. Yellowstar's dark eyes narrowed on Rabbitleap. "Mumbletail was no hero either! He... He murdered a young apprentice in cold blood!"

"Why should anyone believe your lies? Every cat knows ShadowClan is known for making up stories to keep themselves out of trouble.

"I know he did!" Squeaked the small form of Beepaw. Anger laced his tone as the little tortoiseshell stepped into a clearing so he could be seen. "Mottlestar killed my brother, Shadepaw!"

"There's no way!" Bluewillow objected. "He would never have intentionally killed an apprentice!" The queen had her back arched and was ready for a fight. Soon the voices of ShadowClan cats and ThunderClan cats rose into yowls of protests against each other. In the blink of an eye, the bodies of cats were brawling, scratching, biting, kicking. Even a few RiverClan and WindClan cats joined in. Rabbitleap found himself in a tough fight against Quickfoot and Swallowpaw. Before Rabbitleap could lay a strike on Quickfoor, Swallowpaw bit his back leg hard and yanking it out from under him. He collapsed just to be pinned by Quickfoot. The tom looked like he was out for blood and just the anger in his eyes alone frightened Rabbitleap.

"Stop!" Right as Gorsestar and Ashstar's voices rang out the clouds that were covering the moon let out a ear-splitting rumble of thunder. The wind too had picked up as the rain started to fall from the darkened clouds. In the darkness StarClan created, white pelts looked almost gray.

"This Gathering is over." Ashstar spat, glaring at Yellowstar and Mottlestar before jumping down. "Let's go, RiverClan."

"Come on, WindClan."

"Let's get out of here." Yellowstar hissed. Waiting until ThunderClan left, Mottlestar finally announced their departure. Right as they passed into ShadowClan territory, Rabbitleap felt dizzy and like his pelt was on fire. He didn't notice he was lagging behind from the group. He could barely see Wildpelt's fuzzy outline before he collapsed onto the muddy ground.

* * *

_**Whelp, that seems like a nice place to end it.**_

_**So here's my question, do you think Rabbitleap speaking out against Yellowstar at the Gathering was justified? Tell me what you think and why.**_


	12. Chapter 12

_**Here we are with more of this fanfic! I can't believe we're already at the eleventh rule! Only a few more chapter before this ends.**_

_**11. Boundaries must be checked and marked daily. Challenge all trespassing cats.**_

* * *

Strained and tired, Rabbitleap collapsed in his nest as the night fell. ThunderClan was becoming more and more aggressive since his outburst at the gathering eight suns ago. Mottlestar had punished him by having him do apprentice duties and hunting strictly for the elders while the rest of the Clan was either stuck in camp with injuries or fighting off their numerous ThunderClan aggressors. Closing his eyes he drifted off to sleep instantly. When he opened his eyes he was not too surprised to see he was in StarClan, but he was surprised to see Duskfoot standing there. The tom had not been visiting his dreams much since after the cream and brown warrior had had that run-in with Sandbriar. Rabbitleap was the first to break the silence.

"Why did you bring me here?"

"I have a warning for you." The tom stated simply. Rabbitleap shuffled uncomfortably, hoping he wasn't about to bear the weight of a prophecy. He heard of many prophesied cats that snapped under the pressure of such a heavy burden. "Next time you are hunting for the elder, check the borders. An adder will strike if its prey is unaware."

"So there's a snake in our territory?" Rabbitleap asked, but his question fell of deaf ears as Duskfoot faded away. However, he did not wake up. Instead he saw a pair of amber eyes watching him carefully in a forest that had a sense of despair to it rather then the StarClan forest he had just arrived from. He puffed out his chest in an attempt to be brave and face this stranger.

"Who are you?" Another unanswered question, for a sharp jab in his side woke him up. He opened his eyes to see Pinepaw sitting next to him, looking confused.

"Have you seen my mentor? She said that we were going battle training tomorrow, but she wasn't in her nest!" The black and brown she-cat that was usually upbeat and outgoing now looked frustrated and confused.

"I'll go find Doetail, I promise." He said, nudging the little apprentice to go as he got to his paws. Stretching, he padded outside to see Nightfoot taking his role as deputy and sending out cats to check ThunderClan's border and a smaller patrol to go hunt. As Rabbitleap approached the black tom, he took notice of the young warrior.

"Mottlestar told me before he left that today is the last day you need to spend caring for the elders and doing apprentice tasks."

"Before he left?" Rabbitleap echoed. All he got back was a nod. He padded over to the elder's den, confused on why two cats abandoned their tasks. Doetail was smarter then that and Mottlestar seemed to be taking his role as leader very seriously. He pushed those thoughts back as the approached the three toms resting in the sunlight. Hawkwing was the first to take notice of him.

"Morning ,Rabbitleap." The retired warrior greeted.

"Morning, Hawkwing." The brown and cream warrior returned, forcing himself to be polite despite his current mood.

"If you're wondering, we could go for some prey right now." Rabbitleap suppressed a sigh and nodded.

"I'll head out right away." He practically muttered as he padded away. He slipped through the entrance of the camp and into the rest of ShadowClan territory. He padded closer to RiverClan's border, guessing that the prey would be near there to get something to drink. Before he even arrived the scent of mouse entered his nose. He instinctively dropped low to the ground and stalked after the mouse. There he saw the fuzzy creature washing its little whiskers. Not giving it any time to notice him, he leap and pounced right on the piece of prey. Snapping its neck quickly, he was pleased with the clean kill.

"Thank you StarClan for this creature's life to keep ShadowClan alive." He mumbled quickly before he forgot. He spotted the abandoned fox den he had used as an apprentice to get the colourful bird to camp and took in its scents. It was still abandoned. He placed the mouse there so he could return to camp with it. Ash he slipped out of the old fox den he remembered Duskfoot's warning and quickly headed for the border, deciding it would be easier to hunt and patrol then doing both apart. He frowned, not sure what Duskfoot was worried about by the time he was at the border. From what he could tell the border, though not completely fresh, wasn't really stale. He shrugged and resumed his hunting, catching two more mice, a frog, and a finch as sunhigh rolled around. He grabbed the three mice by their tails and carried them to camp first, giving each elder one before running off to grab the rest. He returned with the finch next before running back to the frog. By the time he got to the abandoned den he noticed the frog had been thrown out as a long, dark brown tabby tail was poking out of where the frog should have been. From the stranger's scent, he could tell it was a tom.

"Hmph, I could've sworn I saw more prey here other then that nasty old toad." The stranger complained as they turned around and poked their head out of the den. His pale amber eyes landed on Rabbitleap. "Oh, I had no idea I had company." There was something in his reaction to seeing the warrior that rubbed Rabbitleap the wrong way. The stranger sounded cheeky and like the brown and cream warrior posed no threat.

"Who do you think you are trespassing on ShadowClan territory?" Rabbitleap hissed, his thick pelt bristling.

"I don't _think_ I'm anybody. I know why I am." The tom mused walking in circles, his long-furred pelt shining sleekly in whatever sunlight could find its way through the pines.

"Then who are you?" The warrior spat, causing the stranger to frown a little at his rudeness. He stopped circling right in front of Rabbitleap.

"I'm Python. Or, at least, that's what the nofurs called me."

"Nofurs?"

"Twolegs, housefolk, upwalkers, there's a lot of names for them. I just prefer Nofurs."

"You're a kittypet?"

"_Was_ a kittypet." Python corrected, sitting and grooming his paw. "I decided to head off on my own and ended up here."

"Well you're not welcome here. This is Clan territory."

"So you say." Rabbitleap was getting fed up with this kittypet. He decided against his urge to argue and just flat out pounced at the trespasser, unsheathed claws glinting in the patches of sunlight. Python was obviously taken by surprise, but retaliated to being pinned by using his back legs to kick Rabbitleap's belly, knocking the air right out of the warrior. With an "uumph", Rabbitleap stumbled off the stranger and nearly fell over. By the time he regained air, Python rammed into him and pinned him to the ground. The opposing tom unsheathed his claws and held them at Rabbitleap's throat. That when Rabbitleap realized this tom had no code to go by and it was obvious Python was not pleased with being attack. He was going to kill him. She shut his eyes, waiting for the end. But it never came. Instead he heard a heavy thud as something or someone ran into Python. Rabbitleap quickly realized the scent of his savior. His eyes flashed open to see a familiar pale brown tabby pelt.

"You keep your paws off him!" Doetail spat, bristling. Python was once again surprised by the sudden attack, and even more so when a mottled dark brown pelt appeared, charging at him. Mottlestar slashed at the loner/kittypet, sending Python running with scarlet drops flying from his muzzle. Rabbitleap unsteadily got to his paws. Though Doetail was there to help him right away, Mottlestar was only watching the intruder run.

"It seems that I will need to talk to Nightfoot about sending out more border patrols." He informed no one in particular as he turned to help Rabbitleap regain his balance. "Let's get you back to camp and make sure you're okay."

Rabbitleap nodded, not in the mood to argue and insist he was fine. He didn't even want to bother asking where the two had been all morning. He didn't care right now. He just wanted to get back to camp.

* * *

_**So, I know I already asked but, Who is your favorite character?**_

_**Who is your least favorite?**_

_**Do you think Mottlestar is a good leader, or do you think it should have been Hollowstrike?**_

_**Do you think I should have Python as a returning enemy with so few chapters left?**_


End file.
